Luke 13:20

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples and the surrounding crowds in Galilee, positioned between two parables about the kingdom's growth. He poses a rhetorical question to prompt reflection on the nature of God's reign.

The words — The phrase uses ὁμοιώσω (homoiōsō), meaning "will I liken," paired with βασιλείαν (basileian), meaning "kingdom." Jesus frames the inquiry as a deliberate comparison rather than a direct declaration.

The thread — Jesus repeats this comparative question at Luke 13:18 before the mustard seed parable and follows it with the leaven parable at Luke 13:21. The structural pattern of asking "To what can I compare..." establishes a consistent teaching method in Luke’s Gospel.

Why it lands — The verse demands the listener identify the invisible expansion of God’s reign through ordinary, growing things. It requires active mental engagement rather than passive reception of doctrine.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.